Four young officers gathered in one of the ship's many cabins. For the first time during the entire flight, the friends had managed to find time to meet — each of them finally free from watch duty or other assignments.
"We don't get to see each other very often, Sumeragi," Grace said as she leaned against the small table.
"Grace, we're still lucky," Sumeragi replied calmly. "We could have been scattered across half the galaxy."
"Yeah," Chris added with a grin as he leaned back in his chair. "We're on the same ship. It's almost like a vacation."
Grace snorted.
"Vacation? On a Star Destroyer?"
Chris shrugged.
"Still… the service is interesting."
The Zeltron officer tilted her head slightly.
"So… what do you think of our boss?"
"The captain?" Lichtendal asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, I mean the **general**," Grace clarified, nudging Sumeragi with her elbow. "What do *you* think?"
"Why me?" Sumeragi asked cautiously.
Grace smirked.
"Oh, come on. I've seen the way he looks at you."
"Grace…" Li Noriega muttered nervously.
"Friend, please."
"Uh, Grace, you don't understand… it's not like that… anyway—"
Grace burst into laughter.
"Oh look at her — she's blushing!"
Chris coughed lightly, trying to rescue the situation.
"I heard something interesting earlier today," he said quickly. "A few hours ago, the Jedi Council contacted the general."
That immediately killed the playful mood.
"Now **that** is serious," Lichtendal muttered.
"What do you mean?" Grace asked.
"I asked around," he replied. "If the Jedi Council is contacting us directly… it usually means we're about to get a new mission."
"I see…"
Before anyone could reply, the ship's internal comm system crackled to life.
"All officers report to the tactical room for a briefing. I repeat, all officers report to the tactical room."
Lichtendal sighed and stood.
"There you go," he said. "I told you."
---
## Fleet Status Report
Current Fleet Composition:
**Flagship**
* *Terminus* — modified **Terminus-class Star Destroyer**
**Cruisers**
* 4 **Aegis Hammerhead-class cruisers**
(*Starburn, Gearing, Ikazuchi, Murakumo*)
**Light Cruisers**
* 2 **Consular-class corvettes**
(*Shirakumo* and *Akatsuki*)
**Frigates**
* 4 **Pelta-class frigates**
* 3 modified into combat variants
* 5 light dual turbolasers
* 7 point-defense laser cannons
* missile launchers
* 1 cargo/medical configuration
**Assault Ships**
* 6 **Accumulator-class assault carriers**
* *Akagi*
* *Kaga*
* *Shōkaku*
* *Ryūjō*
* *Midway*
* *Independence*
**Support Vessel**
* 1 **Hardcell-class transport**, still loaded and positioned near the fuel plant at **Va Aart**, generating a shield strong enough to withstand orbital bombardment.
---
To be honest, the incoming reports managed to surprise me a little.
After my conversation with the Jedi Council, several files arrived — slightly delayed.
Three files in total:
1. My **new assignment**
2. Orders from **sector headquarters**
3. A **summary of recent combat operations**
I glanced at the timestamps.
*Wow… it hasn't even been a month.*
Though it was possible these reports had simply taken time to reach my position in the Outer Rim.
Alright… assignments can wait.
Let's see what the galaxy is burning over this week.
I skimmed the multi-page summary.
Nothing particularly new.
The **Confederacy of Independent Systems** was still applying pressure wherever it wanted, though the overall situation had begun to stabilize slightly. The Separatists had secured major gains in the **Outer Rim**, but maintaining those gains forced them to divert enormous resources away from their industrial centers.
Meanwhile the Republic was launching targeted strikes against CIS production facilities.
The war had entered the stage of **attrition**.
Kenobi's name appeared several times in the report.
He and Skywalker had successfully evacuated the Republic garrison from **Rhen Var**. The Separatists had deployed four **Lucrehulk-class battleships** against two **Acclamators** and ten **CR-20 troop carriers**.
The results were predictable.
The Republic lost more than **three thousand clones**.
The Separatists lost thousands of battle droids and some ground equipment — but they still held the battlefield.
A strategic loss disguised as a tactical victory.
According to the report, Kenobi and Skywalker were now heading toward **Raxus Prime**, where Count Dooku had apparently discovered one of the components of the ancient superweapon known as the **Dark Reaper**.
Wonderful.
Just wonderful.
After that enlightening conversation Skywalker had with the ancient Jedi spirit on Rhen Var, the Chosen One's confidence had apparently grown even larger.
Personally, I was perfectly happy to stay as far away from the **Dark Reaper** as possible.
I skimmed through the reports on other Jedi operations.
Most entries were only a few lines long, but even those short summaries painted a clear picture.
Very few Jedi were performing effectively in large-scale warfare.
Their training simply wasn't designed for commanding armies.
The casualty numbers were grim.
* **65 Jedi** killed at **Geonosis**
* **63 more** killed within the first month of the war
Nearly **nine hundred sentient beings had left the Order entirely.**
Some of them were among the people I helped evacuate during the First Battle of Geonosis.
No thanks, of course.
But that was fine.
War rarely rewarded quiet competence.
---
One piece of good news appeared in the report.
Adi Gallia and her squadron had assisted Commander Tirimaki in driving the Trandoshans and Separatists out of the orbit of **Kashyyyk** after two days of fighting.
Republic ground forces and Wookiee troops finished off the remaining occupation forces.
However, the subsequent battle over **Trandosha** ended in a bloody draw.
Both sides suffered heavy losses.
Technically the Separatists could claim victory — they still held orbit, while the Republic fleet had been forced to withdraw.
Numbers matter in war.
And the Separatists had them.
---
Our own sector also received reinforcements.
Twenty-five **Acclamators** and roughly two dozen smaller vessels — mostly brand-new **Pelta-class frigates**.
More interestingly, the Jedi Council had deployed several Masters to the sector:
* Luminara Unduli
* Barriss Offee
* Plo Koon
That level of attention made me uncomfortable.
I didn't like the sudden concentration of Jedi in my operational zone.
Not one bit.
---
Headquarters delivered another piece of good news.
Our section of the **Perlemian Trade Route** had been transferred to the **Kinaun Squadron**, now commanded jointly with Admiral Ditmar.
With reinforcements, Ditmar's fleet had finally returned to near-nominal strength.
His command now included:
* **11 Acclamators**
* **12 corvettes**
Other squadrons in the sector had also received new ships.
Our own orders were simple.
Return and strengthen the defenses of **Va Aart**.
I just hoped I would return from my upcoming diplomatic mission **before the Separatists decided to attack my planet**.
Yes… *my planet.*
I caught myself thinking that way more and more often.
I had invested too much into Va Aart.
The base.
The shipyards.
The fuel plants.
I wasn't giving it up.
---
Now came the tricky part.
Planning the diplomatic escort mission.
The Force kept whispering the same warning.
**Something was wrong.**
Which meant preparation was essential.
Taking the **Terminus** would be the safest option.
But arriving at peace negotiations aboard a Star Destroyer?
Even I wasn't that tactless.
Though I would certainly feel safer.
No… we would go in something smaller.
A **Consular-class corvette**.
The galaxy was accustomed to seeing those vessels on diplomatic missions. Even the fact that it carried weapons wouldn't raise suspicion.
It also had proper cabins for senators — something their egos demanded.
And most importantly…
It was **fast**.
Still, I wasn't flying into a political mess without insurance.
I decided on the following escort package:
* **1 squad of clone commandos** — eight troopers
* **10 clone marines** for heavy support
That was the most the ship could comfortably hold.
As for the cargo hold…
I grinned slightly.
We could squeeze in a battalion of **B-1 battle droids** — about **450 units**.
They didn't need beds.
If things went wrong, they could launch a glorious **zerg rush**, buying us enough time to escape.
Worst case scenario…
Ahsoka and I would handle the rest.
---
Hmm.
What else?
Ah, yes.
I should bring a couple of the interns.
Mirro — the communications prodigy.
And the charming O'Connor.
Something told me they might prove useful.
I stood up from the console.
"Alright," I muttered to myself.
"Time to brief the officers.